Effect of WeChat Application Combined Phone Reminder on Follow-up Adherence Improvement in Congenital Ectopia Lentis Patients : A Randomized Controlled Trial
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All trials for Ectopia Lentis All trials of smartphone application service and phone reminder
-Summary
Regular follow-up is essential to successful management of congenital ectopia lentis, but it is often ignored by parents in China.
With rapid economic development, there are increasing numbers of mobile phone users that allow for communication applications to be used in medical care.
The investigators aimed to assess the potential of the smartphone application assisted medical service to increase patient compliance in attendance of follow-up after congenital ectopia lentis treatment.
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+Detailed description
Congenital ectopia lentis is a rare ophthalmic disease that seriously harms the physical and mental health of patients. Surgery is the only definite treatment at present. However, severe visual impairment is common in congenital ectopia lentis patients in China, and delayed presentation to hospital and late surgical treatment are found to be the major reasons.
In China, the messaging application WeChat has become the most popular communication tool. As most congenital ectopia lentis patients' parents are younger people, they are more likely to use technology, such as WeChat, in their daily lives. In addition, it allows ophthalmologists to utilize this communication application to relay health related information and reminders to patients. This makes it feasible to apply this smartphone application in improving attendance of follow-up visits.
In this trial, the investigators aimed to assess the potential of the smartphone application assisted medical service to increase patient compliance in attendance of follow-up after congenital ectopia lentis treatment.
+Arms and interventions
| Arm | Type | Interventions | Description |
|---|
| reminder intervention | Experimental | Other: smartphone application service and phone reminder | On the basis of standard appointment, parents in intervention group will receive phone reminders at 4 days and 1 day before their scheduled appointments, and relevant scientific and educational knowledge will be relayed to them from the smartphone application at 1 week before appointments. |
| standard appointment | No intervention | | Patients will be required to attend follow-up appointments at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months after surgery. |
- smartphone application service and phone reminder (Other): smartphone application service and phone reminder for appointments of parents of congenital ectopia lentis patients
+Outcome measures
Primary outcomes
- follow-up adherence at 3 months after surgery [3 months]: the rates of attendance at 3 months (± 3 weeks) after surgery
Secondary outcomes
- follow-up adherence at 1 week after surgery [1 week]: the rates of attendance at 1 week (± 2 days) after surgery
- follow-up adherence at 1 month after surgery [1 month]: the rates of attendance at 1 month (± 1 week) after surgery
- best corrected visual acuity [3 months]: measurement of best corrected visual acuity was carried out using a logarithm of the Minimum Angle of Resolution (logMAR) chart at the baseline and endline visits
- replacement rates of glasses [3 months]: If the difference between the current refraction and the currently worn eyeglass prescription was greater than 2 diopters sphere and/or greater than 1 diopter cylinder, a new prescription was given
- amblyopia therapy rate [3 months]: the rate of amblyopia therapy during 3 months after surgery
- referral rate due to systemic diseases [3 months]: referral rate due to abnormalities in skeletal system and cardiovascular system during 3 months after surgery
- CEL knowledge score [3 months]: change between baseline and endline scores on knowledge about CEL, including six choice questions concerning pathogenesis, symptoms and treatment of CEL
Other outcomes
- follow-up adherence at 6 months after surgery [6 months]: the rates of attendance at 6 months (± 1 month) after surgery
- follow-up adherence at 1 year after surgery [1 year]: the rates of attendance at 1 year (± 2 months) after surgery
- follow-up adherence at 2 years after surgery [2 years]: the rates of attendance at 2 years (± 4 months) after surgery
- follow-up adherence at 3 years after surgery [3 years]: the rates of attendance at 3 years (± 6 months) after surgery
+Eligibility
Sex: All, ages: any to 18 Years
Inclusion Criteria:
* 1\. Identified with congenital lens dislocation after surgery and age ≤ 18 years old; 2. Parents were able to access a mobile phone and communicate via the smartphone application (WeChat); 3. Agree to participate in this study and sign the informed consent.
Exclusion Criteria:
* 1\. With Other ophthalmic diseases such as glaucoma, uveitis and corneal disease.
+Locations (1)
| Facility | City | Country | Status |
|---|
| Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University | Guangzhou, Guangdong | China | |
+Publications
- Lin H, Chen W, Luo L, Congdon N, Zhang X, Zhong X, Liu Z, Chen W, Wu C, Zheng D, Deng D, Ye S, Lin Z, Zou X, Liu Y. Effectiveness of a short message reminder in increasing compliance with pediatric cataract treatment: a randomized trial. Ophthalmology. 2012 Dec;119(12):2463-70. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2012.06.046. Epub 2012 Aug 24. PMID 22921386
- Chen T, Zhu W, Tang B, Jin L, Fu H, Chen Y, Wang C, Zhang G, Wang J, Ye T, Xiao D, Vignarajan J, Xiao B, Kanagasingam Y, Congdon N. A Mobile Phone Informational Reminder to Improve Eye Care Adherence Among Diabetic Patients in Rural China: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Am J Ophthalmol. 2018 Oct;194:54-62. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2018.07.006. Epub 2018 Jul 24. PMID 30053472
- Lin J, Gong N, Cao Q, Zhou Y, Cai Y, Jin G, Young CA, Yang J, Wang Y, Zheng D. What hinders congenital ectopia lentis patients' follow-up visits? A qualitative study. BMJ Open. 2020 Mar 12;10(3):e030434. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-030434. PMID 32169922
- Tan J, Christie A, Montalvo SK, Wallace C, Yan Y, Folkerts M, Yingling A, Sher D, Choy H, Jiang S, Westover KD. Automated Text Message Reminders Improve Radiation Therapy Compliance. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2019 Apr 1;103(5):1045-1052. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2018.11.050. Epub 2018 Nov 30. PMID 30508618
- Bi J, Yang W, Hao P, Zhao Y, Wei D, Sun Y, Lin Y, Sun M, Chen X, Luo X, Li S, Zhang W, Wang X. WeChat as a Platform for Baduanjin Intervention in Patients With Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in China: Retrospective Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2021 Feb 2;9(2):e23548. doi: 10.2196/23548. PMID 33528369
- Yang K, Jin L, Li L, Zeng S, Wei R, Li G, Man P, Congdon N. Interventions to Promote Follow-up After Trabeculectomy Surgery in Rural Southern China: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2016 Oct 1;134(10):1135-1141. doi: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2016.2819. PMID 27541442
- Results publication: Ma Y, Zhang X, Jin L, Liu S, Liang X, Ye Q, Liu X, Congdon N, Zheng D, Jin G. Social Media Interventions and Postoperative Follow-Up in Congenital Ectopia Lentis: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2025 May 1;143(5):438-445. doi: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2025.0526. PMID 40208617
+Investigators
- Danying Zheng, M.D, Principal investigator, Clinical Research Center of Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center